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Lanny and I walked inside the rundown theater. The interior was no less decrepit than the exterior had been, which didn't surprise me. The back door led down a narrow corridor where posters to old films hung haphazardly from the walls, and long strips of paint were peeled back and hanging loosely. We followed the hall to another door on the opposite end, which led us into a large lobby at the front of the theater. The lobby was sparsely decorated, with only a few old chairs and sofas arrayed. These were filled with holes that had been the work of rats and mice, who had stolen the stuffing from inside to insulate their homes. Aside from that, and the massive cobwebs that ran from the floor to the ceiling, the lobby was empty.
“It's not much to look at.” Lanny conceded. “But it will be soon enough! Once we've implemented my plan this place will be a bustling enterprise once again!”
He tilted his head back and laughed again, and I heard the sounds of small rodents scurrying away from this sudden disturbance. He then turned swiftly on his heel and walked towards the far side of the lobby, where a dark wooden door stood.
“This way. Step into my office!” Lanny said, and motioned for me to follow him.
With a certain amount of reluctance, I began to walk to the door. Lanny unlocked the door with a large golden key and held it open for me to enter. The room I walked into was a significant improvement over the lobby and the building in general. My new companion had obviously spent a good deal of time cleaning and organizing the office, as well as decorating it to match his own eccentric taste. There were garish paintings hanging in ornate frames covering virtually every square inch of the walls, and several large chairs with rich satin upholstery. The centerpiece of the room though was the massive mahogany desk, complete with a shiny veneer finish. Lanny was clearly proud of his office. He strode into the room after me and walked around to the far side of the desk, where he plopped himself down in one of the red armchairs.
“Please, be seated,” he said to me, speaking in an overly formal manner now. “Let us get down to business.
I did as he asked and watched him carefully as he proceeded. Lanny watched me silently for a moment before he did anything. Finally, he leaned forward and placed a folded sheet of paper on the desk.
“Peter,” he began, maintaining the extremely formal manner. “There is an ongoing competition in Meep City, that pits a killer clown against willing contestants. Have you heard of it?”
I nodded. The competitions were considered illegal, but still, they were well known in certain circles.
Lanny continued. “Well, my dear friend. I propose that you and I stand to make a lot of money by entering you in a series of these contests.”
I chuckled at this. “Oh? And just what makes you think that you could convince an almost total stranger to do something as join one of these games?”
“Because you see,” Lanny unfolded the paper as he spoke. “I just so happen to have the cheat codes.”